Steam traps



E. L. MYERS 'STEAM TRAPs Dec. 17, 1963 Filed March 20. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Errol L. Myers E. L. MYERS STEAM TRAPS Dec. 17, 1963 Filed March 20, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J f /Mf /u um A bva m m# 58. .o #F.MJ 22 a a m .I4 v 7.20/ nrw, Z .0. 08] 5 fr. 2 Pah u., jar/.m H v o oa 3 0 9 3 2 am 2 vim. 1J M m 97. u 2 IU 2 6 INV EN TOR. BY .Errol L. Mge/'J a 9 m 0 A 1 j" 00 b 2 5 ame? a ,lo 7. J `v l 3 l- 3` `m SX .N 4%# /22u Mq .29a 2 25 7.7. u

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E.. l.. MYERS STEAM TRAPs Dec. 17, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 20, 1961 6 R.r E me m mud n WM A I/m E. l.. MYERS STEAM TRAPS Dec. 17, 1963 4 Sheets-sheet 4 Filed March 20. 1961 INVENToR. frro/ L. Mge/S BY y ATTORNEYS vUnited States Patent Oil-"ice lldd Patented Dec. 1?, 1963 1 3,114,383 STEAM TRAPS Errol L. Myers, Novi Township, Mich., assigner to Howard 0. Trerice, Detroit, li/iieli. Filed Mar. 2i?, i961, Ser. No. Ilik 13 Claims. (El. 137-185) This invention relates to steam traps and more particularly to an inverted bucket type for draining condensate from a steam line and thereby maintaining said steam line full of hot dry steam. On accumulation of condensate in said trap in suihcient quantity to actuate the valve and open the discharge orifice, the condensate lows down under the edge of the bucket and up through the discharge orice.

An object of the present invention is to increase the operational eiiiciency of a bucket type steam trap by constructing an assembly embodying an inverted bucket, a valve for the discharge orifice, and connections therebetween permitting a partial rotation of the bucket and valve in order to provide a diierent seating position of the valve in the outlet orice to evenly distribute the wear of die valve and valve seat and thus provide for a more positive shut-oil and the elimination of wire drawing.

Further objects of the present invention are to provide an improved steam trap by incorporating improved structural details serving to provide a simpliied assembly facilitating the efficiency of the system and having a longer operational life as compared to some other traps as are presently available.

For a more detailed understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention in which like parts are referred to by like reference characters throughout the several views, and in which FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional View of a steam trap embodying the invention and showing the bucket buoyantly supported in said trap to maintain the discharge valve in closed position.

FIG. 2 is a similar sectional view showing the discharge valve fully opened.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View showing the discharge valve just being opened.

FIG. 4 is a similar sectional View showing the linkage positioned and about ready to collapse and further retract the valve towards its fully opened position.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of FI". 1.

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 or" FIG. l.

FG. 7 is a sectional view of a steam trap embodying a modified valve actuating means showing the valve closed.

lG. 8 is a similar sectional view showing the valve open.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional View illustrating the initial actuation of the valve, where same has just opened.

FIG. l0 is a transverse sectional plan View of the modified valve actuating means.

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view of a steam trap embodying a still further niodiiied valve actuating means.

FIG. 12 is a plan view oi a modified batiie means construction as viewed from i12-i2 of FIG. l1.

FiG. 13 is a detail sectional View of the batile illustrated in FIG. 12 and taken on the line it-13 of FIG. l2.

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional View ot the valve actuation means ot" FIG. 1l taken substantially on the section line 143-414 o FlG. 15

FIG. 15 is a plan view of said valve actuating means as viewed from line 1t5 of FIG. i4, and

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of the attachment of said valve actuating levers to the inve `ted back of said steam trap.

The steam trap illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a casting forming a hollow body-portion l@ closed by a head or cover 1I. The hollow body portion provides a sump for collection of condensate drained from a steam line, and an inverted bucket 12 is disposed therein and is buoyantly supported in the liquid condensation when steam and/ or air is trapped in the inverted bucket. The bucket 12 will of course sink to open the discharge oriiice i4 when the steam or air is discharged from the bucket 12.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. l to 4 inclusive, it will be observed that the casting is provided with an inlet i5, which for simplicity is here shown as being connected by the cored passage 15a to the bottom of the trap. A stand pipe le is mounted at the inlet and extends upwardly part way into the hollow trap body and bucket i2. The head or closure Il carries the discharge oriiice id openingL into a chamber 17 formed in the cover il and the body carries the discharge outlet 19 which is in open communication with the chamber 1'7. A valve 2t* coacts with the discharge orice ifi to open or close same and is supported in a guide bore 21 preferably carried by an inwardly located extension 23 of the head or closure casting, said extension being provided with a flat cam surface 24. The valve Ztl extends below the cam face 24 and is loosely connected to a linkage assembly 25 which is in turn connected by a loose hook and eye connection with the bucket i2.

The linkage assembly 25 comprises a pair of opposite extending links 25a and ZSb each having a hook portion 25 on one end and a preferably rounded cam edge 1.9 at the opposite end. Eyelets 28 carried by the bucket preferably at diametrically opposite points are engaged by the hooks 26 and serve to retract the valve 20 off its seat to open the discharge orifice when the bucket is no longer buoyant and sinks into the liquid condensate in said trap to thereby discharge the condensate from the trap through said discharge orifice and thence out through the outlet M. The lower edge of the bucket will then rest upon radially extending ribs Iiia, or other suitable abutments, to space the loweredge or the bucket from the bottom of the trap to permit ilow of condensate from the bucket interior into the trap body.

As the condensate is discharged, the ow of same through the inside of the inverted bucket, then under and outwardly of the lower rim of the bucket into the hollow trap body on its way to said discharge oriiice, will cause a sli lit rotation of the bucket as the condensate impinges against baffles Si@ preferably comprising downturned ears carried by a plate 29 which is secured to the underside of the bottom of the inverted bucket by welding or other suitable means. The valve 2t) is pivotally secured to the levers or links 25a and 25h that extend normal to the axis of the valve and bucket, and thus as the bucket is partially rotated, the valve is also similarly rotated so that on being again seated on its seat to close the discharge orifice, it is seated in a diierent position, insuring even wear of the valve and valve seat and longer life.

The operation or" the steam trap is as follows:

Under ordinary operating conditions, the valve is closed because of the presence of steam in the trap bucl'et, said bucket being buoyantly supported in such condensate as has accumulated in the trap as shown in FlG. 1. As the steam escapes from the bucket through a small opening Si? and is absorbed in the condensate above the bucket, it is replaced by condensate or steam as may be in the system above the bucket to which the trap inlet 15 is connected. It steam from said system enters the tra., the bucket remains buoyant and the valve remains closed. lf condensate enters the trap, the bucket loses its buoyancy and opens the valve. It, after the valve is opened and condensate continues to enter the trap from said system, the bucket retains its non-buoyancy state and the Valve remains open. As soon as steam again enters the trap from said system, the steam is trapped in the inverted bucket and said bucket again becomes buoyant and closes the Valve.

As described above, after the initial sinking of the bucket in the trap, it assumes a position as illustrated in lG. 3, in which the valve is slightly open, but as additional condensate is drained into the trap, replacing the steaxm in the inverted bucket, the bucket continues to sink. .fis it moves farther away from the lower pointed end 3i of the valve (see FlG. 4) the links generally assume the position shown in FIG. 4, acting as levers to further retract the valve ott its seat, and since the hooks 26 still engage the eyes 2% the whole linkage assembly suddenly eoilapse's and assumes a position shown in FIG. 2, thus iurther retracting the valve off its seat, the valve and bucket being so dimensioned that said valve is still retained in the guide 2. at this lowermost position. The condensate continues to be discharged from the trap through the open discharge oriice as long as condensate continues to drain into the trap but as the steam again begins to how. into the trap from the steam line, it accumulates in the inverted bucket so that same again becomes buoyant and rises, carrying with it the valve until it again seats in the position shown in FlG. l.

The above operation is automatically repeated as often as necessary to discharge the accumulated condensate. It will thus be apparent that as soon as steam floats the bucket, the valve is closed. Ordinarily, no steam ever reaches the discharge orifice, even when there is no condensate in the system, as the vacuum in the return line can cause no steam loss as the pressure diierential across the discharge orice holds the valve closed. Condensate drained into the trap from the steam line or system and condensation of the steam in said trap all builds up the level of the condensate in the trap, the entrapped steam in the bucket being gradually allowed to escape through the opening 50 untii there is no longer a suilicient volume of steam in the bucket to float same.

It is noted that the valve is coaxial with the inverted bucket, thus permitting a rotation of the bucket and valve, and the linkage assembly that loosely ties the valve to the bucket is positioned symmetrical with respect to the bucket and valve axis.

FIGS. 7 to l0 inclusive illustrate a modified type of linkage for connecting the bucket to the valve. The basic principle of operation remains the same, since the levers are different only in structure, and because they can be made of stampings which permit the fulcruming of 'the levers at various points oset from the axis of the valve, it facilitates valve operation as the pre-determined forces and values are such as to dictate the structural design and relationship of the interconnected parts.

This modified design is preferred and comprises a chanel element 6i) secured by suitable means to the valve as by a pin 61, said channel 6i) comprising oppositely ex- :tending portions laterally offset from the valve axis. Forked levers 62 are respectively pivotally mounted on the channel 6i) as by pins 63, said levers 62 each having one arm 62a extending away from the valve and loosely hinged by a hook and eye connection 64 to the inverted bucket, and oppositely extending arm 62h, which bear against the dat cam surface 24 of the trap, thereby retracting the valve ott its seat as the bucket sinks in a manner similar to the action of linkage assembly as illustrated in FiGS. 1 to 6 inclusive.

The alternative valve actuating means as illustrated in FlGS. 11 and 14 to 16 inclusive, comprises a modified lever arrangement including an improved means for attaching said levers to the bucket and valve.

The arrangement illustrated comprises a plate 7i) se- -cured to the valve stem 20a, the said valve stem having a shoulder Zil'b on which the plate 70 is seated and locked in position by a tension wmher and a snap ring 71. The Plate 7h is slotted at 72 to receive a return bent ear 73 of a lever 74, whereby to loosely hinge the lever to thc plate 7d. it will be noted that the lever 74 is forked in plan and provides arms 74a extending inwardly from the loose hinge ear '73 to engage or contact with the hat under surface Z4 o the valve stem guide 23.

An oppositely extending arm 74b of the lever terminates adjacent to the peripheral rim of the bucket 12a and is formed with a substantially U-sliaped hook portion 75 providing an upwardly extending tip 76 and this hook portion is arranged to be loosely hooked or engaged in the eye or loop 77. The eye or loop 7'/ is substantially U- shaped and the legs 77a are extended through the holes 78 in the bottom of the inverted bucket 12a, which holes are adjacent to the peripheral rim of the bucket and are greater in diameter than the legs 77a, so as to provide means to vent the bucket of steam. The hook or eye 77 is preferably assembled to the bucket by having the leg extensions 77a bent to form end portions 78a originally formed to lie in a position as indicated by the dot and dash lines (PEG. 16) and after assembly, the end portions rr are twisted to lie in the plane of the hook as shown in dotted lines in FiGS. 15 and 16.

The lever assembly ot FIG. 11 functions similar to the lever assembly of FIGS. 1 and 10, and this construction makes it possible to provide two or more connections with the valve stem, such lever arrangements being preferably arranged symmetrical with respect to the valve stem axis.

FGS. 12 and 13 illustrate a modiiied arrangement of battles, and comprises a plate 8i), preferably circular, which is provided with punched out vanes or ears 31, said plate being welded, bolted or otherwise secured to the inside face of the bucket bottom.

While only a few preferred constructions are illustrated and described herein, it will be quite apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

l claim:

l. A steam trap operable to automatically drain and discharge condensate from a steam line, and comprising a trap body having an inlet connected with the steam line and a discharge orilice, a valve for said discharge oritice, an inverted bucket `disposed in said trap body and operable to trap steam in said ybucket. to lloat said bucket in the condensate as is accumulated in the trap and to thereby actuate the valve to close the discharge orifice, and motion multiplying linkage connecting said valve and inverted bucket and disposed symmetrically with respect to the bucket `axis whereby to substantially align said valve with said bucket axis, and a guide for said valve axially aligned vwith the bucket axis aforesaid, said linkage comprising la pair of links Ipivotally connected with said valve and each link having oppositely extending arms, one arrn bearing against an abutment and said other ai'm connected with said bucket, the movement of said bucket on sinking into the condensate in said trap actuating said links to operi said valve, said links each being at all times loosely connected with said 'bucket adjacent the peripheral edge thereof by a hook and eye connection, the extreme outer end of said links having an upwardly formed hook engaged by an eye carried by the bucket and operable to collapse said linkage and rest same on the bottom of said inverted bucket, thereby fully retracting said valve from said discharge orice in readiness to close the discharge orifice at such time as said `bucket is again buoyantly raised by the accumulation of steam in said bucket.

2. A steam trap as deiined in claim 1, wherein said valve comprises an elongated stem portion supported in said Valve glide while fully retracted from said discharge orifice, the stem portion having a ilattened portion to which said links are pivoted.

3. A steam trap as delincd in claim 1, wherein said trap body carries said valve guide and provides a flattened abutment extending in ia plane normal to the 'axis of said valve stem, said inner ends of said links engaging said abutment in the operation of said links as levers to retract the valve from the said discharge orifice.

4. A steam trap las dened in claim 3 whe-rein said valve stem extends 'below the flattened abutment, and said links are pivot/ed to said valve stem at a point spaced below the plane tot" the llattened abutment.

5. A steam trap las donned in claim 4, where said link pivot means comprises a cross member secured to the lower end of the valve stem, and said links are each pivotally mounted on said cross member at points laterally oiset with respect to the valve axis and symmetrically arranged relative to said valve axis.

6. A steam tnap as dened in claim 5, wherein said links each comprise oppositely extending arms, one arm extending outwardly and loosely hinged to the bucket adjacent the peripheral rim thereof and the other arm comprising forked arm portions extending inwardly along either side of said cross member.

7. A steam trap operable to automatically drain and discharge condensate from a steam line, and comprising a trap body having `an inlet connected with the steam line and a discharge orifice, a valve for said discharge orifice, an inverted fbucket disposed in said trap body and operable to trap steam in said f ucket to float said bucket in the condensate as is accumulated in the trap and to thereby actuate the valve to close the discharge orice, and motion multiplying linkage connecting said vdve and inverted `bucket and disposed symmetrically with respect to the bucket axis whereby to substantially align said valve with said bucket axis, and a guide for said valve axially aligned with the bucket axis aforesaid, the linkage assembly connecting the valve and bucket comprises lever structure having oppositely extending lever arms, one arm loosely hinged to the valve stem structure and the other arm loosely hinged by la hook and eye connection to the bucket adjacent to the penipheral rim of the bucket, said eye pmtion of said connection comprising'loops having legs extended through holes in lthe bottom of said bucket, the holes in said bucket having a cross-sectional area greater than the cross-sectional area of the legs to provide vent openings yfor said bucket for the escape of steam from the bucket interior.

8, A steam trap as deiined in claim 7 wherein the legs of said loop connection terminate in latenal extending portions engaged with the under face of the Ibucket bottom to loosely secure said loop from disengagement with said bucket.

9. A steam trap as defined in claim 7 wherein said valve has a plate secured to the lower end thereof and disposed in a plane substantially normal to the valve stem axis, said plate having two or more slots symmetrically disposed about the valve stem, and said lever is provided with a downwardly turned ear arranged to be loosely hinged to said plate by a loose engagement with each of the slots aforesaid.

10. ln a steam trap operable to yautomatically drain and discharge condensate from a steam line,

(a) a trap body having a trap chamber, an inlet adapted for connection with said steam line and a discharge orifice,

(b) a valve for said discharge orifice,

(c) an inverted bucket disposed in said trap chamber and operable to trap steam in said bucket to float same in condensate accumulated in said chamber whereby the axial position of said bucket with respect to said trap chamber is determined by the amount of steam in said trap chamber,

(d) said valve having one end engaged by the bottom of said inverted bucket during axial movement of said bucket caused by an increased accumulation of steam in said trap chamber whereby said valve is moved upwardly to close said discharge orice when said bucket is oated,

(e) lost motion connection means comprising link clements operably connecting said bucket and said valve to open said orilice when said bucket sinks a predetermined distance in said condensate, and

(f) means carried by said link elements and operable after initial opening said valve upon initial sinking of said bucket to return said valve to a position engaging said bucket when said bucket has moved axially away from said valve a predetermined distance.

11. The steam trap as defined in claim 10 and in which (a) said valve comprises a vertical cylindrical pin having upper and lower conically tapered ends,

(b) the bottom of said bucket has a central conical recess complementary to the lower end of said valve and providing a seat therefor whereby the axis of said bucket is normally retained on a line common to the axis of said valve.

12. The steam trap as dened in claim 10 and in which (a) said link elements are two in number and each comprises a lever arm,

(b) each arm being pivotally retained near one end of said valve and the other end having an upwardly facing U-shaped slot,

(c) retainer elements being carried by said bucket and each comprising a downwardly facing U-shaped wire loop,

(rl) said slots and wire loops being disposed in planes normal to one another and said wire disposed in said slot and loosely engaged therewith.

13. The steam trap as dened in claim 10 and in which (a) said trap body has a stand pipe extending upwardly a considerable extent into said inverted bucket and occupying a large volume therein,

(b) a passage extending axially through said boss and connected with said inlet,

(c) the inner surface of the bottom of said bucket having bailles arranged to cause rotation of said bucket and discharge of condensate therefrom, said standpipe acting to force said condensate to move against said baliles as said bucket sinks in said condensate.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,701,936 Trerice Feb. 12, 1929 2,053,641 Spade 1 Sept. 8, 1936 2,276,201 Kaye Mar. 10, 1942 

1. A STEAM TRAP OPERABLE TO AUTOMATICALLY DRAIN AND DISCHARGE CONDENSATE FROM A STEAM LINE, AND COMPRISING A TRAP BODY HAVING AN INLET CONNECTED WITH THE STEAM LINE AND A DISCHARGE ORIFICE, A VALVE FOR SAID DISCHARGE ORIFICE, AN INVERTED BUCKET DISPOSED IN SAID TRAP BODY AND OPERABLE TO TRAP STEAM IN SAID BUCKET TO FLOAT SAID BUCKET IN THE CONDENSATE AS IS ACCUMULATED IN THE TRAP AND TO THEREBY ACTUATE THE VALVE TO CLOSE THE DISCHARGE ORIFICE, AND MOTION MULTIPLYING LINKAGE CONNECTING SAID VALVE AND INVERTED BUCKET AND DISPOSED SYMMETRICALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE BUCKET AXIS WHEREBY TO SUBSTANTIALLY ALIGN SAID VALVE WITH SAID BUCKET AXIS, AND A GUIDE FOR SAID VALVE AXIALLY ALIGNED WITH THE BUCKET AXIS AFORESAID, SAID LINKAGE COMPRISING A PAIR OF LINKS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED WITH SAID VALVE AND EACH LINK HAVING OPPOSITELY EXTENDING ARMS, ONE ARM BEARING AGAINST AN ABUTMENT AND SAID OTHER ARM CONNECTED WITH SAID BUCKET, THE MOVEMENT OF SAID BUCKET ON SINKING INTO THE CONDENSATE IN SAID TRAP ACTUATING SAID LINKS TO OPEN SAID VALVE, SAID LINKS EACH BEING AT ALL TIMES LOOSELY CONNECTED WITH SAID BUCKET ADJACENT THE PERIPHERAL EDGE THEREOF BY A HOOK AND EYE CONNECTION, THE EXTREME OUTER END OF SAID LINKS HAVING AN UPWARDLY FORMED HOOK ENGAGED BY AN EYE CARRIED BY THE BUCKET AND OPERABLE TO COLLAPSE SAID LINKAGE AND REST SAME ON THE BOTTOM OF SAID INVERTED BUCKET, THEREBY FULLY RETRACTING SAID VALVE FROM SAID DISCHARGE ORIFICE IN READINESS TO CLOSE THE DISCHARGE ORIFICE AT SUCH TIME AS SAID BUCKET IS AGAIN BUOYANTLY RAISED BY THE ACCUMULATION OF STEAM IN SAID BUCKET. 